Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Swirled Rice Krispie Treats With A Nutella TwistThis is one of my mom's creations - specifically the chocolate Nutella Twist - another genius move on her part (Thanks mom!). I can't make these very often because my husband just devours them.

IMPORTANT: To be able to make the "twist" - timing is essential. You will need to work quickly - have everything measured first before you begin melting everything down.

1/4 cup Nutella In a double boiler combine the chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter and melt - stirring all the time. When everything is almost melted add the powdered sugar and continue stirring while on the burner until the chocolate chips are fully melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Nutella - there will be enough heat without being on the burner to melt the Nutella. Set aside and immediately begin on the Rice Krispie Layer (Remember - timing is essential).

In a large stock pot over medium heat - melt the butter & marshmallows (while constantly stirring!!! - or it will burn) until the marshmallows are melted. Now stir in the peanut butter until combined - it should only take 30 seconds. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the Rice Krispies. Immediately spread (& flatten) the Rice Krispie layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Then quickly spread the "Nutella" layer (that you first prepared) on top of the Rice Krispie layer. Quickly roll up the treats as seen in the 2 pictures above. Now your Rice Krispie roll should look like the picture below. Wrap in the parchment paper and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

Now begin slicing the treats into puck sized rounds (see the picture below). Continue cutting until the entire log has been cut.

Monday, January 28, 2013

1. Taste - Nothing tastes better than a vegetable or fruit picked fresh off the plant/vine/bush. The texture, the flavor - everything is so superior when it is harvested while ripe. You don't have to eat something that has been sitting in a truck or on a shelf for days and weeks. All you have to do is take one bite of the garden fresh produce and you'll be sold - Grow Your Own Food!

2. Health - I believe in growing Organically - no cancer causing chemicals. I also believe that "GMO" (genetically modified organism) foods are not healthy for us - it just doesn't make sense. Your food will also be healthier when you "can" or freeze your own produce - you don't have to add in all of those preservatives that you would get if it was store bought. Also, since home-canning is done in glass you won't have to worry about aluminum & tin levels in your food from store bought cans.

3. Cost - This is another "no brainer" - Pay a few dollars for 1 packet of tomato seeds and get hundreds of tomatoes! - With which you can freeze, make tomato juice or preserve whole. Not to mention all of the money that you will be saving when you get to use your preserved food in the winter instead of going to the grocery store.

4. Good Stewardship - I believe that we should use everything that God has given us for the good of others."Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10If you only have a small city backyard you can still grow and preserve some food to help in providing for your family - use every inch of what God has given to you.

5. Green Living - Why not live as responsibly as we are able? Cut down on your garbage by starting a compost pile - At first it might seem like a bother but once you get into the habit of composting you won't even think twice. If you don't grow vegetables you can still use the nutrient rich compost dirt for your flowers.

6. Outdoor Exposure - Being outside is a good thing. Not only do you receive vital "Vitamin D" from sun exposure but being outside (in my opinion) is the best psychotherapy. To be outside in nature is a stress reliever (again I'm NOT a doctor - see my disclaimer at the bottom of this post). Look around - watch the birds or the squirrels as they fly here & there or jump to & fro (Wait - NO!- don't watch the squirrels - all they do is steal your garden produce for their own enjoyment - hahaha just kidding).

7. Exercise - Walking, bending, lifting, kneeling, pushing, digging and pulling are all great forms of exercise. And you won't have to pay money to have some fitness coach scream at you because you aren't "working out" at the rate that they deem acceptable (no offense against any work-out coach out there - I know that the "screamers" are the minority) Work in the garden at your own rate.

8. Education - Learn about flora and fauna, study the art of canning & preserving your food for the winter. Growing and preserving your own food is very educational and can even be passed down to younger generations - most of what I know about growing & preserving I learned from my parents.

9. Preparedness - Stocking up is a good way to be prepared for difficult times. What if the electricity goes off for a few days or even weeks because of a winter blizzard or a summer thunder storm? OR - What if you lost your job and it takes about 6 months to find another job? Be prepared and have home canned food in the basement to prevent disaster during difficult times.

10. Creativity - I am a creative being - whether it's designing my gourd art or inventing a new recipe or planning my garden for next year. Creativity brings me so much joy! Planning your garden and creating new recipes with your home grown produce keeps your mind healthy and happy.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Avoid, Deny & Ignore are 3 actions that are prevalent in our modern society.This is the last of a three part series. All three of these verbs are similar but yet very different. We will be looking at both the good and the bad of each word and we will be learning what the Bible has to say about these verbs.

The Bible shows us that there are 3 main areas that we should NOT ignore:1. Do NOT ignore Salvation"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received it's just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him." Hebrews 2:1-3Not many of us are "good listeners" anymore - if we don't like something all we have to do is change the channel or click the mouse to move to a different website or look at caller ID before answering....... Modern conveniences have made it so easy to Ignore anything that we don't want to look at or listen to.Unfortunately all of these "helpful" devices have turned the ability to "ignore" into a habit. I believe that many of us find it easy even to ignore nudgings from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit. The most important thing NOT to ignore is Jesus and our salvation through His blood on the cross. However, it is also important that we do not ignore the guidance from our Lord "so that we do not drift away." Therefore, "pay more careful attention" to what God is telling you!2. Do NOT ignore Correction

"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray." Proverbs 10:17"He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored." Proverbs 13:18"He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding." Proverbs 15:32So what can happen when we ignore discipline? - We "lead others astray," we come to "poverty & shame" and in actuality we "despise ourselves."What happens when we pay attention to correction and work on improving our wrong? - we are "honored", we know "the way to life" and we "gain understanding."Constructive criticism is a good thing but so many of us in our society simply ignore anything that could possibly be construed as negative. However, Correction is a positive thing! - It's difficult to look at but in the end correction is positive for ourselves & those around us.3. Do NOT ignore Others"If you see your brother's ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to him." Deuteronomy 22:1Let's think about the context of the verse above - first of all "brother" does not only mean your sibling - it refers to your neighbor, friend, acquaintance, business associate .....etc. During Biblical times it would have been a huge bother to return someone's ox or sheep that had strayed away. You wouldn't have been able to hop in a truck & return that animal in a matter of minutes - No! - You would have had to return that animal on foot & it could have been many miles away from the owner. If we are to "pay attention" to a person who is almost a stranger then shouldn't we "notice" everyone around us? - and help them out in whatever way possible?Please read "The Parable of the Good Samaritan" Luke 10:25-37I wonder how many of us would have passed by the man who had been beaten? Would we have told our children "not to make eye contact" or would we have crossed the street to the other side? Or would we have been the "Good Samaritan" and helped out this poor man? The "Good Samaritan" was the only one out of those 3 strangers who paid attention and took notice of the people around him! We are supposed to "go and do likewise."

The Vicious A.D.I. (Avoid Deny Ignore) Triangle

If you start to Avoid something, then you will also be Denying and Ignoring - you can't have one without the other two. This is what I call the "Vicious ADI Triangle" - at each tip of the triangle you have one of these 3 verbs.

For example:

You are claustrophobic = You avoid small enclosed spaces > You ignore your spouse when he/she confronts you about your avoidance > You deny that you have a problem

OR

You have not been feeling well = You ignore the lump that you found on your body > You avoid going to see the doctor > You deny that you are sick

OR

You are spending more money than what you make = You deny that you are having trouble paying your monthly bills > You ignore the bills that keep coming in the mail and tuck them under a book > You avoid going to the bank

OR

You can't stand confrontation of any kind (negative or positive) = You ignore all family members when they are arguing or trying to have a constructive family meeting > You deny that you have a problem with confrontation and even deny that your family has any problems that need to be corrected > You avoid any and every topic that could bring you to that dreaded confrontation point

OR

You said or did something that hurt or offended a friend = You avoid going to places that you know that friend frequents > You ignore that deep down tugging from the Holy Spirit urging you to confess your wrong > You deny that it was your fault and play the "word" game- twisting the truth like: "well, it was winter and I have Season Affective Disorder" or "I was going through a bad time"

I could go on and on with examples - but I won't. Why not try to replace this "Vicious ADI Triangle" with the "Holy Trinity Triangle":

Replace "Avoid" with "Seeking" guidance from our Heavenly Father"

Replace "Deny"with "Confessing" our sins which have been paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ

Replace"Ignore"with "Paying attention" to and "noticing" the urgings of the Holy Spirit.

It won't be easy but if you replace the "ADI Triangle" with the "Holy Trinity Triangle" then you and those around you will benefit and thrive.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Freezing "Sale" Blueberries in the WinterI am all for supporting our local farms and buying produce in season when it is fresh but there will be times when you will find a great sale during the winter. This past week the most delicious blueberries were on sale and I couldn't pass them up. These blueberries are from "Chile" and I always try to buy "North American" whenever I can but my main goal is to feed my family in the healthiest and cheapest way possible. So here I am freezing Blueberries in the middle of winter and I thought that I'd take this opportunity to share with you my easy "freezing" instructions.

Wash and drain your blueberries. (There are many "experts" who say that you cannot wash any berries before freezing. Well, I cannot and will not freeze any unwashed berry - I don't know if there is bird poop residue or chemical residue left on these berries - WASH THEM). Spread your prepared (washed & drained) blueberries on a cookie sheet (see picture above) (you may line the cookie sheet with wax paper to make it a little easier after they have been frozen). Place them in a freezer for about 2 to 3 hours (or until the blueberries feel frozen). Freezing the berries first will help prevent them from sticking together in the bag.

Now fill your baggies - I put 3 cups of frozen blueberries in 1 bag. I use a "Vacuum Packer"but using Ziploc baggies is also an option.

Then seal each bag according to the manufacturer's instructions. Label and then they will be ready to use any time of the year.

ENJOY!!

Freeze before vacuum packing! - If you seal before freezing then you will have blueberry juice all over the counter and inside your vacuum packing machine (and the bag will not seal properly).

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Egg Basics - HARD BOILEDOn this blog I have reserved Thursdays for "Beginners." For the next few months (on Thursdays) we will be concentrating on the Basics of Eggs. (I know that many of my readers are experienced cooks but there are just as many readers who are new in the kitchen and might desire some simple instruction on the basics).Eggs are wonderful and so versatile! - - - They can be boiled, fried, poached, scrambled, deviled..........etc. The majority of people overcook boiled eggs which causes the yolk to turn green and be rubbery in texture. Today we will be learning how to cook a perfect hard boiled egg where the yolk remains a brilliant yellow and has a soft delicate consistency.There is a controversy over the egg yolk - many people only eat egg whites and believe that the yolk is too fatty. I am from the opposite school of thought - I believe that the yolk is the healthiest part of the egg. The Yolk contains all of the fat-soluble vitamins like A, E & K & the yolk is one of the few foods that naturally contains vitamin D, the yolk also has lutein (good for the eyes), and is a good source of lecithin. (again - I'm not a doctor - please see my "disclaimer" at the bottom of this post).

Step 1: Fill a medium size saucepan with water (when I say fill - leave at least 2 inches head space - you might need to pour out some water after you add the eggs - you don't want the water to boil over)

Step 2: Gently place the uncooked eggs into the water in the saucepan

Step 3: Place the pan on medium heat and bring the water to boil.

Step 4:As soon as the water begins to boil - set your timer for 10 minutes.

Step 5: After the 10 minutes - Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour out the hot water.

Step 6: Now pour cold tap water over the hot eggs to stop them from cooking (and more specifically to stop the yolk from turning green & from becoming rubbery). Let the cooked eggs sit in the cold water for 15 minutes before peeling.

Step7: Working with 1 egg at a time - crack the entire egg on the counter/or sink (by this I mean - lightly bang the egg & roll while banging so that all sides will have little cracks) and then begin peeling (see the picture above - there is an egg in the middle that has been "cracked" & I began peeling the top egg).Step 8: Rinse off each egg lightly.

If you follow these steps exactly - you will have egg shells that come off almost in one piece (see picture below).

Now that is a perfect HARD BOILED EGG - look at the beautiful yolk below: Not a bit of icky green!!! ENJOY!!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Picking Fresh Veggies From My Michigan Garden In JanuaryI just dug fresh carrots & parsnips, and picked Kale from my snowy January garden.To extend harvesting carrots & parsnips simply mulch in the fall (click Mulching Carrots to view more details).(It is also important to thin the carrot plants in the summer - click "The Importance of Thinning" to see more).

Kale is an amazing plant! - when our daily temperatures were in the low 20's (F) and in the teens at night it looked like the Kale had died. But, when the temperatures got to about 40 degrees or more, these Kale plants just bounced back! I picked the Kale last week during our January thaw when our temperatures reached above 40 degrees.To view 4 different Kale varieties click here: Kale- 4 Different VarietiesENJOY!!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Co-Hosting "I Love My Online Friends 'GFC' Blog Hop"It's the dead of winter and sometimes you might feel as if you are covered in snow like my baby in the picture above. Then it's time to wake up out of your hibernation and join us for this fun blog hop!!!

If you are interested in learning more about the hop and guest hosting, please read HERE.
Well, are you ready? Let's go hopping!

RULES FOR THE HOP

1. Please follow your host and the fab fiveon Google Friend Connect (GFC). They are Numbers 1 through 6 on the linky.

2. Link up your homepage and start hopping around. Remember, this is a blog hop, you've gotta do some hopping in order for it to truly be worth your time. When you get a new follower it's always nice to return the favour. Visit their blogs, leave them a comment and/or return the follow.

3. You are not required to, but it would be great if you could tweet/like/pin/share this post and/or grab the button and share it on your blog. The more people that see this hop, the more blogs for us to visit and the more followers we gain.

Avoid, Deny & Ignore are 3 actions that are prevalent in our modern society.This is the second of a three part series. All three of these verbs are similar but yet very different. We will be looking at both the good and the bad of each word and we will be learning what the Bible has to say about these verbs.

Today we will focus on the word "Deny"

Definition: to declare untrue, to refuse to grant, to refuse to accept the existence, truth or validity of, to restrain from gratification of desires, to disclaim connection with or responsibility for.

As I see it there are 2 major areas of denial - the positive & the negative. The negative is of course denial of the truth and the positive is denial of self to benefit others (and to benefit ourselves).

Negative - Let us first talk about the worst kind of denial: denying the existence of God.

There are 3 ways to deny our Lord:

A: In word

B: In action

C: In our heart

Let us look at what the Bible has to say about these three and what happens to us when we deny Jesus.

A: In word

"The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today you will disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly." Luke 22:61-62 (please read Luke 22:54-62 for the entire triple denial by Peter)

This sends horrifying chills down my spine: "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter." How Peter's triple denial must have pained Jesus but look at the consequence of denying Jesus "and he (Peter) went outside and wept bitterly." I looked up the meaning of "bitter"- "resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish or disappointment" and "difficult or distasteful to accept or bear." What a heart wrenching scene - I get a lump in my throat every time I read this passage.

Then, as we see in the passage below - we must acknowledge both The Father and The Son - we cannot have one without the other. These verses are very clear and honest - the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ is a liar & the antichrist!!

"Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist - he denies the Father of the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." 1 John 2:22-23B: In action"To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." Titus 1:15 & 16

WOW - isn't that a powerful passage! I'm sure that we can all think of people whose actions do not match up with their words. People who sound Christian but act worldly. One of my favorite sayings is: "Actions speak louder than words." We might verbally acknowledge Jesus as Lord but if we live opposite of Jesus' example then we are "detestable, disobedient & unfit for doing anything good." (Powerful!!)

We also need to talk about false prophets - people whose actions purposely distort God's truth. This line below is scary but unfortunately relevant to some people today: they"change the grace of our God into a license for immortality & deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign & Lord." What will happen to these deceivers? - "condemnation!" Test people's actions with the Word of God - if it doesn't match up then that person/those people might be false prophets --- Have nothing to do with them!

"For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immortality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign & Lord." Jude:4

C: In our hearts"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth." James 3:14

The verse above might not be exactly what I was thinking about (although it's interesting that the word "bitter" was used again). I'm thinking of the kind of person that seems to "talk the talk & walk the walk" but occasionally you might notice a glimpse of what's truly inside - an attitude that shows their true motives. This is someone who way down deep denies Jesus & is just going through the motions "just in case it's true." I can never prove this - but God knows!! You can never hide anything from God - not even your motives or your thoughts!

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight." Hebrews 4:13

Positive - this is the type of denial that benefits ourselves & others.

"Then He (Jesus) said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.' " Luke 9: 23 & 24

This is the kind of positive denial that I am talking about - giving up our earthly desires to focus on living for Jesus and following His example. In the verses above you will notice that this is a daily denial of self. Everyday will bring new difficulties or new temptations and everyday we must make that decision: "follow the world" or "follow Jesus." Over time you will change (for the better) and you will develop new positive habits that will benefit others & yourself. The line "but whoever loses his life for me (Jesus) will save it" means that you will have eternal life if you follow Jesus - you are saved by the blood of Christ!

"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Timothy 5:8

My generation is "Generation X" (Gen X) and many of us are just now starting to deal with our parents becoming elderly and in need of help. I am speaking from personal experience - there will come a time when you will have to admit that your parents are not invincible and there will come a time when they will need your help. You might need to give up your own house and deny your personal comfort and go live in your parents home to take care of them. Or, you might have to admit that their illness is too much for you to handle & then have to make that difficult decision to put them into a nursing home. These are some of the most difficult types of "denial" but they will benefit others (your family) and yourself in the end.

The verse above isn't just talking about taking care of our parents - it could be a pregnant teenage daughter or niece - or it could be a brother who has lost his home to foreclosure. If you do not help and provide for your family in anyway possible then you have "denied the faith" and you are "worse than an unbeliever!"

The Downward Denial SpiralI'm going to give you 2 examples of what I call "The Downward Denial Spiral."

1. Let's say that there is a husband who has a drinking problem ----> He starts out only having a few beers on the weekend -----> Then it is just a few everyday after work ----> Then it is a six pack a day ----> Then occasionally he starts out his morning with a few before work ----> When confronted by his wife he denies it and twists the truth by saying "it's a difficult time for me right now" ----> He continues down this Denial Spiral until disaster strikes when he kills a woman in an oncoming car while he was driving drunk.

The only thing that could have changed this "Downward Denial Spiral" was if that husband had admitted that he had a problem and then finally seek help.﻿

2. Now we are talking about a single woman who loves to shop ----> She has a budget and splurges on something special for herself once a month -----> One of her co-workers just bought the coolest and newest pair of designer jeans that she must buy for herself (even though it's not in the budget) ----> She decides to skip paying the electric bill at her apartment for just this month, after all they have to allow a "grace" period ----> Then she attends a huge sale going on at her favorite designer clothing store ----> She again doesn't have enough money for that electric bill the next month----> Now she is receiving threatening letters from the Utilities Company ---> When confronted by her father she lies and says that she is still under that "grace" period ----> She continues down this Denial Spiral until the electricity in her apartment is turned off.

The only thing that could have changed this "Downward Denial Spiral" was if that single woman had admitted that she had a problem and then finally seek help.

These are (of course) extreme examples but the "Downward Denial Spiral" can come in many different forms. The only way to resolve that horrible trap is to admit, acknowledge and confess that there is a problem. Then and only then will you be able to fix that problem and stop or prevent that downward spiral.

Friday, January 18, 2013

﻿Eight Sunflowers & CountingOver the past 2 years I have shared with you 8 different Sunflower varieties that I grew in my garden. If everything goes well with the weather - I will have 4 different Sunflower varieties to grow in my garden this season. Below I have listed the 8 Sunflower Posts from my blog in order of my preference (favorite to least favorite) (click on each name to view more pictures of that variety).ENJOY!!If you wanted to - please leave a comment stating which Sunflower variety is your favorite so far!!1. Black Velvet Queen

Begin by frying & draining the bacon - once cooled chop and put aside. In a large mixing bowl stir the flour & baking powder together. Now "cut" the butter into the flour (as you would do for a pie crust). With a wooden spoon stir in the milk, maple syrup & chopped bacon (previously fried & drained) until it resembles the picture above. Now you will use your hands and you might need to add a little more flour if the dough is sticky. Form the dough into a log shape & slice into 10 to 12 puck size slices as seen below.

Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet & bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes (or until desired golden brown color is achieved).